Relative charged in fire pit incident near Port Burwell, Ont. that killed child, injured four more
Jake and Tina Hiebert and their five children are seen in this undated family photo.
Middlesex Centre, Ont. -
Ontario Provincial Police have laid charges following a fire pit incident that left a one-year-old dead, and two more children and two adults injured.
The children's grandfather, Johan Hiebert, 55, of Bayham, Ont. has been charged with criminal neligence causing death and four counts of criminal negligence causing bodily harm.
Jake and Tina Hiebert and three of their children; a one-year-old girl, four-year-old boy, and seven-year-old girl, all suffered severe burns following a mishap during a bonfire at a home on Vienna Line near Port Burwell, Ont. on July 12.
The one-year-old girl, Layla, died in hospital three days later.
A jerry can with diesel fuel reportedly exploded, seriously injuring the family, a relative has said. Two other children were not injured.
A family friend tells CTV News London Jake is out of hospital while Tina remains in hospital but is stable. The injured children have both undergone surgeries this week for their burns and also remain in hospital.
A fundraiser for the family has raised nearly $70,000 and a trust fund has been set up for the children by the Aylmer Kindred Credit Union.
The accused is scheduled to appear in a St. Thomas, Ont. court on Sept. 7, but police say the investigation is ongoing.
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